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Synonym Chooser

How is the word sober different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sober are earnest, grave, sedate, serious, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When might earnest be a better fit than sober?

The synonyms earnest and sober are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

When can grave be used instead of sober?

The meanings of grave and sober largely overlap; however, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When could sedate be used to replace sober?

The words sedate and sober can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When would serious be a good substitute for sober?

In some situations, the words serious and sober are roughly equivalent. However, serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

Where would solemn be a reasonable alternative to sober?

While the synonyms solemn and sober are close in meaning, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

In what contexts can staid take the place of sober?

Although the words staid and sober have much in common, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sober Rick's movie plan with fake director Frank worked Rick has enlisted his newly sober former partner in crime Frank (Sam Rockwell) into the revenge plot. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 Honesty is one of the cornerstones of the 12-step approach to getting and staying sober. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2025 And then there is another element, sales are down for wine, perhaps because of the new sober curious movement, or perhaps because a new generation of possible drinkers just have not soaked in just all the layers of wine. Valentina Di Donato, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Both got sober for the first time as teenagers, relapsed in their early 20s and got sober again in their mid-20s. Shivani Vora, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sober
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sober
Adjective
  • Rookie watch Tristan da Silva was a healthy scratch for the third straight contest as the No. 18 pick has seemingly fallen out of Orlando’s two-deep rotation.
    Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In the bond market, longer-term Treasury yields rose for a second straight day to recover more of their sharp losses from prior months.
    Time, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • There are logical, though debatable, arguments that the settlement paying male athletes more in damages and permitting colleges to pay male athletes more going forward is problematic under Title IX.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Repeatedly, the market tried to make something of several logical, if a bit neat-and-tidy, inflection points.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The noble profile of a solemn, aging Great Dane named Apollo dominates Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s The Friend, a movie nominally about the difficulties of caring for a pet in New York City.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Then, with his hopes of starting the season in the major leagues officially dashed, Hinch and his family began the solemn drive from Philly to the team’s Triple-A site in Scranton, Pa.
    Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • To that end, Rooney says that knowing when to talk and when to stay quiet is key.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Synonymous with quiet luxury, Jenni Kayne’s cropped cashmere cardigan is perfect for casual moments in beautiful places.
    Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This is especially clear in the contrast between Marcus Luria and his father, the ascetic sage Zalia Ziskind.
    Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
  • While Mathu is an ascetic loner, Malby was a hedonistic womanizer.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In the Gaslamp, Rustic Root is offering Maryland crab cake Benedict, a 28-day dry aged ribeye and chocolate bread pudding from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Combine Wet and Dry Stop the mixer and add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat on low speed until most of the flour is incorporated.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Netanyahu was told to be reasonable on Turkey Since the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing in the country over their separate interests there.
    Time, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Given that this decline coincided with the large-scale movement of the US Commercial fishing fleet into those waters, the idea that overfishing might have something to do with it seemed a reasonable hypothesis.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison, while the others have a five-year maximum term.
    Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Age restrictions could impact the positives that social media brings, and still fall short of solving its more serious issues.
    Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sober.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sober. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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